


A Worthy Wager

by butteredbandits



Series: Roche Week 2021 [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: First Kiss, Flirting, M/M, Pre-ship, Roche Week 2021, reno and rude are polyamarous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:35:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butteredbandits/pseuds/butteredbandits
Summary: A mission puts Reno and Rude in the path of Roche, whose help comes at an unusual price.
Relationships: Reno/Roche (Compilation of FFVII), Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Series: Roche Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2125632
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	A Worthy Wager

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Racing
> 
> A/N: This fic includes a nod to the wonderful fic Suit by SaiTheWriter. I adored the idea of Roche being a brat to get Reno’s attention. Give it a read! <3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/27057580

“Ah shit...” Reno groaned, quickly coming to halt right in Rude’s path, making the taller man have to shift to stand beside his partner to avoid a collision. 

“Hm?” Rude scanned the crowd ahead of them. Just moments ago the smell of gasoline and the sound of engines rumbling had been invigorating, promising the duo plenty of excitement.

When Tseng had called them to the briefing room for a retrieval mission, Reno had already been thrilled at the prospect of some work on his home turf. Some dumbass in the weapons department had made off with experimental parts from R&D. The kind that went into engines. The info trail led right to Midgar’s underground racing scene, one that Reno used to flip money on in his years before ShinRa. 

“ _He’s_ here.” Reno crossed his arms over his chest and jerked his chin in the direction of one particular 3rd Class SOLDIER.

The meticulously coiffed mullet was a dead giveaway, if the customized ShinRa issue combat bike wasn’t enough of a neon sign indicating the speed-demon’s presence. Roche was out of the usual uniform though; instead a red motorbike suit with black and white trim hugged his compact, muscular frame. It looked leagues better on him than the generic SOLDIER gear, especially with the way it accentuated the curves of his rear with sloping, reflective stripes.

“Oh, the sandwich guy.” Rude teased and Reno’s cheeks turned a shade to match the jumpsuit that was currently giving him very flustered, confused thoughts. 

“Yeah, that asshole.” Reno’s fingers itched with the urge to get a cigarette. The last time he’d encountered Roche he’d lost his lunch for the day, all because he fell prey to some damn good sweet-talking. 

“Think he-” Rude started to theorize but-

“Nah-” Reno had done some digging since Roche had begun to hit on him, since his bike was custom it got checked for stolen parts and the weapons department kept a tight record of every addition Roche made. “-he’s surprisingly well-behaved as far as stealing machinery goes. According to the paperwork.” 

Rude raised a brow at that, but he trusted Reno’s assessment. It was at that moment that the SOLDIER looked up from his bike and spotted the pair of Turks eyeballing him. Roche was visibly surprised and stepped away from his bike to make a b-line for them. The expression on his face was grave, he probably thought they were there to take him back to HQ or bust up the race.

“Whatever, so long as he doesn’t rat us out we should be good. We might even be able to get him to play nice,” Reno said.

As quickly as they had arrived, Reno’s hesitations disappeared. He had a job to do after all and he couldn’t let his own feelings get in the way. Plus if he backed off now Roche would just find a way to use it against him. It was best to deal with him now, before he could cause a more serious problem.

“Well well, are you suits here to crash my party?” Roche asked, at a surprisingly reasonable volume. He knew better than to cause a spectacle with them, something Reno hadn’t been expecting.

“Maybe,” Reno said, then glanced at Rude who gave him a subtle nod, his partner was going to back him up no matter how things turned out.

“Need some intel, you willing to help?” Rude’s baritone voice caught Roche’s attention and he spent a few moments looking the other man over, sizing him up and admiring just the same way he’d done to Reno. 

Roche’s smile turned mischievous once he’d considered the offer and Reno felt his stomach drop. Should have figured he'd try to turn things to his favor. His heart started to flutter, further helped along by the fact that Roche had his jumpsuit zipped down just enough to show off a delectable slice of his chest. Hey! That was Reno’s thing. He narrowed his eyes, had Roche done that on purpose? It’d been zipped up when he first spotted him. 

“What’s in it for me?” Roche took two steps forward, finally breaching Reno's personal space to tip a lecherous smirk down at him.

“Whoa, slow down hot wheels-” Reno put up a hand against Roche’s chest, stopping him before he got any closer. He could feel firm pecs underneath the leather and was half tempted to give a squeeze, but when he felt Rude tense up behind him in anticipation of a fight Reno managed to get his train of thought back onto the proper track. 

“-You’re racin’ illegally with ShinRa property, what makes you think you can bargain with us? One message to Lazard and you’ll be walkin’ for the foreseeable future.” 

"If that’s the best you can do, I’ll get back to the race. My assistance is worth more than dodging some blackmail," Roche's eyes scanned Reno's face, gauging his reaction, "Lazard can't keep me from my steed anyhow, not if he wants me to get any work done."

Reno drew in a sharp breath, fighting the urge to pull rank and tell Roche to suck it up. That wouldn't get him anywhere, the gearhead hated authority. Nothing to do but to hear him out and work from there. Manipulation was a process, and he couldn’t just throw a fit and quit because his first attempt didn’t pan out. Reno crossed his arms over his chest and met Roche’s eyes, clearly already regretting his next words. 

"Fine, what do you want?" Reno bit out.

Roche hummed a pleased note and grasped Reno’s chin between his index finger and thumb, making the Turk tilt his face up.

It took far more effort to keep from getting flustered than Reno wanted to admit. He fought to keep his expression neutral, the last thing he needed was to give Roche any more ground. Still, he felt the heat flare on his cheeks as a blush took hold. Like any SOLDIER, the bright shimmer of mako in steel blue eyes made him hard to look away from, but even then the intensity underneath was as alluring as it was alarming.

"I'll cooperate, for a kiss." Roche purred, even going so far as to brush his thumb across Reno’s bottom lip. 

_Of course that was what he was after_. Reno wanted to be offended but it didn’t sound like the worst thing in the world. It seemed that Roche didn’t want to just take it for himself, otherwise he was sure they would have locked lips already. Roche wanted to be chosen. Reno had done worse things for a job before- and yet he found that he couldn’t let it slide. Reno slapped Roche's hand away and took pleasure in the surprised expression that caused. 

"Fine, but you'll have to win your race first. I don't hand out consolation prizes, and I need my intel first." Reno found himself squaring-off with the SOLDIER, adrenaline instantly flooding his system as a result of the snap decision.

“Ooh. Playing hard to get? That’s alright, I don’t lose,” Roche tossed his hair over his shoulder and rested a hand on his hip, visibly relaxing now that he knew his race wouldn’t be interrupted. “So, what do you need me to do?”

The hunger lingering in those bright blue eyes sent a chill up Reno’s spine. He knew Roche wanted in his pants, but he also knew the man liked to tussle. His rap sheet proved it. How was he supposed to know when he was a wrong word or move away from having to fight him? Either result promised to be fun, if he survived anyways. No doubt Rude was rolling his eyes behind his glasses. Moth to a flame, or more of an inferno in Roche’s case. Not that Rude could judge, being a fellow adrenaline junkie. 

"Got a guy using some ‘proprietary’ parts. We need to give his bike a look over. Think you could pick out who got a recent upgrade?" Reno explained, stepping back to find some breathing room at Rude’s side. 

Roche gave it a moment of thought, glancing over his shoulder at the growing crowd of bikers and spectators. Realization dawned and when he turned back there was that playful look again, the one that set of warning bells. 

"Everyone tunes up between races… but if this is gear that's special enough to have the Turks after it, well I bet I'll be able to pick out your man halfway through the first lap. Should I knock him out of the running for you?"

“I’m not going back with scrap metal, so don’t go and wreck the bike.” Reno cautioned. "We just need to identify who has the goods so we can do our job.”

Roche shrugged noncommittally in response, pretty much assuring that he wasn't going to behave. 

"Just keep those beautiful eyes on me." Roche winked at them both, before turning on his heel to saunter back to his bike. 

Reno wanted to slash his tires just as much as he wanted to rail the SOLDIER against that ridiculous bike. He was used to being the wild card, and dealing with the other end was surprisingly infuriating. His expression conveyed anger, and Rude squeezed his shoulder to grab his attention. 

"Really gonna do it?" His tone was amused, which only served to fluster Reno more.

"Ain't no way I'm gonna kiss that douchebag!" 

Reno started to stomp off towards the crowd, still visibly fuming as he lit up a cigarette. Rude followed along, and found himself wondering how his partner would dodge this one. Roche didn't seem like the kind of guy that would let a broken promise go. Not to mention the fact that he could tell Reno was into the idea, despite what he’d said. Whatever sparks flew, at least it would be a hell of a show. 

* * *

It went without saying that Roche loved to race, speed and competition did wonders to kickstart his engine. That’s why he made a habit of participating in street races, prize money was nice but the truth was that he was in it for the thrill... But a race for something worthwhile? A chance to prove himself? It lit a fire in his heart that made the rumble of the engine beneath him all the more exhilarating.

He had an idea of who the Turks were after, but he’d kept that info to himself to ensure the race could still go on. One of the other racers was someone he knew in passing from the Shinra garage, there had been a mutual, unspoken agreement to keep their racing secret. But the guy had been acting shifty and stopped bringing his bike to the garage a week ago. If his bike ran better than before, it would be a sure bet that he was the thief. Roche grinned as he envisioned just how he’d knock him out of the race.

The announcer started to lay out the rules of the race and hype the crowd up, Roche took a moment to scan the crowd for spiky red hair. Reno was leaning against the wall of a building, drawing angry puffs from his cigarette. Roche revved his engine to grab his attention and once their eyes locked his heart fluttered. Reno was so pretty, and the attitude just made Roche want to pick a fight with him, just to see his reactions. He blew the redhead a kiss and received a raised middle finger in return. Ah, anger or attraction, so long as the redhead felt _passionate_ about him, that’s all Roche really needed. 

The countdown began and Roche focused back on the road in front of him. Each loud, tonal beep from the speakers filled him with a rush of adrenaline. He shifted into position, heart thumping in time with the rumble of his bike’s engine. Finally the lights turned green and the road turned to a blur beneath him as he accelerated and rushed towards the front of the pack.

The race went through an abandoned section of warehouses, and the sharp corners there would provide him plenty of opportunity to take out his quarry. Until then he planned to keep the lead and put on a nice show for his audience. He made sure to show off whenever he was in view of the camera drones that followed the race. Hopefully Reno knew that every stunt he pulled was just for _him_.

Just when Roche thought he might have guessed incorrectly, he heard the roar of an unusual engine behind him. There was a scream, followed shortly by a metallic screech. Roche managed a quick look over his shoulder, just in time to see the other Shinra racer gaining on him fast. His face was obscured by a sleek yellow helmet that matched his motorcycle. 

There were three short miles between them and the warehouse section of the race track. Roche didn’t have to hit the brakes to let the yellow bike catch up with him, which was exciting news. He’d been worried he’d have to slow down for that part. Whatever parts his competitor had stolen were good, and Roche wondered if he might be able to get his hands on them as a reward for recovering them.

Until then, he’d see what the machine was capable of, and if its driver was worthy. He shifted gear and hollered with joy as his bike sped up. The yellow motorcycle did the same and started to pull ahead of him. Roche could feel the mako kicking up in his body, urging him to make use of his strength, to overpower his rival. Before he had the sense to stop himself he had reached out and started to channel the lightning materia installed in his motorcycle’s engine. The power surged through his body, lighting up his nerves with the sensation of charging static before he released it with a wild laugh.

The other racer’s bike was surrounded in a shower of lightning bolts, which arced towards the metal of the machine, overloading the engine and frying out the internal systems. The driver lost control and spun out, which in the end proved better than simply driving straight into a wall. Roche didn’t catch the rest of what happened to him, he had a race to win, and a kiss to claim. 

* * *

Reno wanted to punch Roche right in his perfect, kissable, mouth. He could have just done as he’d been asked, but no. He had to go and show off. Luckily the cameras had caught Roche knocking the other racer off the road. They couldn’t know for sure... but if it really was their lead, well they couldn’t let him die crushed under his motorcycle. Rude was able to ‘borrow’ a car, and they made it to the crash site before anyone else which was a blessing.

The driver was knocked unconscious, his helmet was cracked and blood dripped down the side of his neck in a slow stream. The bike had plenty of dents but the engine was physically intact. Luck had been on their side. 

“Over here.” Reno crouched at one side of the bike, and Rude took the other, together they were able to lift it back up. There was no need to cut the engine, Roche’s lightning had fried it. 

Rude cast a cure spell on the driver, but they would still have to wait for him to wake up on his own. Reno set to work examining the bike, but struggled to pry the warped hood off. Even if they had the proper tools to get inside, it’d take some force to pry the bent parts away from each other. 

Reno sighed as he knelt next to the hunk of junk. He should have known better than to involve Roche. 

It appeared that just thinking of the man was all that was required to summon him. Reno groaned with frustration at the sound of his approaching engine. The SOLDIER was all smiles as he skidded to a stop and hopped off his bike to collect his reward. 

“I told ya-” Reno stood, then turned around with one finger raised to point at Roche so he could lecture- and then he was swept up into a firm kiss. 

Roche’s arm went to his lower back and Reno yelped as the ground got suddenly closer. The asshole was actually _dipping_ him. He smelled of dust, gasoline, leather, and clove, and by the gods his lips were actually as soft as they looked. The slight tickle from his goatee was the perfect little cherry on top. Reno managed one groan of complaint before he gave in to his own desire and pressed his lips back against Roche. 

“Mmm-” Roche started to moan in approval and darted his tongue out, and that’s where Reno cut him off by pulling on his hair hard, it even took a few seconds for Roche to release him with a pained whimper. 

“Roche. If you ever want more than my EMR up your ass, you’ll take the hood off that bike and show me the parts I’m looking for.” Reno stood up and brushed off his suit, Roche had managed to smudge dust all over him.

“I _do_ enjoy electrifying experiences.” Roche teased back with a wink.

He was curious about his guess as well so Roche did as he was told and made good use of his SOLDIER enhanced strength to pull the protective metal casing off the engine.

Rude joined them and examined the engine, sure enough they had what they were looking for. 

“How about another kiss? One for the road?” Roche asked, batting his eyelashes at Reno.

“No freebies.” Reno crossed his arms over his chest in refusal.

“That’s Reno-speak for ‘date first’.” Rude said with a mischievous smile that disappeared when Reno’s elbow made forceful contact with his ribs. His attempt to wing-man had not been received as warmly as he’d been hoping for.

Roche opted to grab Reno’s hand instead, tugging it forward so he could kiss the back of it, finding the patch of skin left open by his fingerless gloves. “Until next we meet, my love.” 

Reno yanked his hand back with a flustered noise of complaint that made Rude chuckle in response. Roche blew a kiss to them both from the seat of his motorcycle before he revved the engine and sped off into the night in his usual fashion.

“I am never, ever, asking for his help again.” Reno declared, turning to Rude who was giving him a fond look.

It occurred to Rude then, that for a Turk, Reno was a pretty awful liar. Didn't change the fact that he loved him, though.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N 2: And a big ol’ thank you to summine over on twitter for drawing the illustration for this fic! Go give their art some love! https://twitter.com/sumnnine
> 
> For what happens next, I cover that in this cheesy little drabble: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27502387/chapters/67254082


End file.
